• State set to hire Lake Delhi consultant: REGISTER
• Election ’10: Terry Branstad’s inner circle mixes of old faces, new ones: REGISTER
• Business Council survey suggest recovery may be ‘pausing’: RADIO IOWA
• State tax receipts up 1.8 percent for July and August: RADIO IOWA
• Ottumwa residents chafe as flood persist for 3 months: REGISTER
• Summer rainfall second in records, behind ’93: REGISTER
• Midwest managers: New recession likely: REGISTER
• Thousands can pay just half their court fines under ‘amnesty’ program: RADIO IOWA
• State senator targets Mickelson’s advertisers because of comments on homosexuals: REGISTER
• Parents fight school dress code: QC TIMES
• Police to promote preschool: REGISTER
• Election ’10: Branstad unveils 5-year Iowa agriculture plan: QC TIMES
• Cedar Rapids still needs help recovering: REGISTER
• Report says 95% have access to high speed internet in Iowa: RADIO IOWA

The 2010 legislative session marked another year of an ongoing struggle for gun advocates looking for changes in Iowa’s gun permitting law. Unlike previous years, the 2010 session bore fruit. In the final days of session a “shall issue” carry bill passed. That bill, SF 2379, takes effect January 1st but continues to face attacks from a familiar foe.

A number of Iowa sheriffs have continued to raise questions about changes they opposed in SF 2379 with an apparent intention of having changes made next year. For many, sheriffs were the reason changes to our gun permitting laws were needed. Under current law, sheriffs have complete discretion as to whether they will issue a permit and how they will issue it.

Continue reading…

• One bright spot in the economy: Farming: REGISTER
• State Climatologist: 2nd wettest summer on record: RADIO IOWA
• Market may rule DeCoster’s fate: REGISTER
• Branstad, Miller debate state authority over DeCoster operations: RADIO IOWA
• Farm show to bring 24,000 to the area: REGISTER
• Several schools let out early due to the heat: RADIO IOWA
• Grassley says end of combat operations marks ‘victory’ in Iraq: RADIO IOWA
• Caucus ’12 watch! Gingrich to return to Iowa next week: REGISTER
• Czech company to make tires in Charles City: RADIO IOWA
• More environmental problems for Lake Delhi: QC TIMES
• Deere’s wind energy business sold to Exelon: REGISTER
• Solid waste agency first in Iowa to recycle electronics for free: GAZETTE
• Wind turbines: Houston, we have a problem: REGISTER
• ACT chief stepping down: GAZETTE
• Gov. Rendell to speak at Iowa Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner: WCF COURIER
• Election ’10: Challenger: Vaudt too focused on politics: WCF COURIER
• FEMA extends funding to raze flooded homes in CR: GLOBEGAZETTE
• Election ’10: Branstad blasts Culver’s ‘culture of corruption’: GLOBEGAZETTE
• Election ’10: Hogg: Branstad inaction caused costly flood damage: GLOBEGAZETTE
• Election ’10: New voting laws changing campaigns, state leader says: SC JOURNAL

Two weeks ago the President signed into law a $26 billion dollar stimulus package. Part of that aid package was the Education Jobs Fund (Ed Jobs) program, a new federal program providing a one-time appropriation of $10 billion in assistance to States to save or create education jobs for the 2010-2011 school year. Of that $10 billion, Iowa’s portion looks to be $96,490,048. The bill passed the House on a near party-line vote after representatives were called back to session during the August recess to consider it.

Read more for the details…

• Election ’10: Findley raises concerns about DeCoster contribution; Miller returns it: RADIO IOWA
• Meth cooks put buildings at risk: REGISTER
• FDA inspections detail rodents, flies at Wright County egg plants: RADIO IOWA
• Bankrupt VeraSun requests repayment from some farmers: RADIO IOWA
• DNR director says pollution from Lake Delhi is ‘atrocious’: REGISTER
• Only one interviewed by Culver for educator job: REGISTER
• ‘Independence’ cited by justice in same-sex case: REGISTER
• Election ’10: King tells opponent he hasn’t ‘earned’ right to debate: RADIO IOWA
• Grassley: Iowa deserves its share of earmarks, no new egg rules needed: QC TIMES
• Cedar Rapids gets federal flood relief: QC TIMES
• Election ’10: Braley strikes back on mosque debate: QC TIMES
• Pass federal shield law to protect free press: REGISTER
• Election ’10: Sarah Palin to speak at Reagan dinner: QC TIMES
• Time to change Iowa’s livestock rules: OBRADOVICH
• Dangerous mix: Politics and a narrow understanding of God: REGISTER
• FEMA says ‘no’ to Solid Waste Agency to the tune of $2.1 million: GAZETTE
• Block by Block gets another $1.35 million: GAZETTE
• King decries pending estate tax: SC JOURNAL
• Getting local-option sales tax revenue to renters likely to be complicated: GAZETTE

In defending his massive borrowing program known as I-Jobs, the Governor has shifted the purpose of the program from creating jobs to flood recovery and prevention.

The Governor has responded to Republican criticism of I-Jobs by asking how we would propose paying for flood recovery and prevention, suggesting that the only way to fund it was to borrow $810 million.

Here is a breakdown of the bonding contained in three bills that established I-Jobs:

• Senate File 376 (I-Jobs) – Borrowed $545 million, cost of repayment is $1.202 billion
• Senate File 474 (Regents) – Borrowed $115 million, cost of repayment is $252 million
• Senate File 477 (State Infrastructure) – Borrowed $105 million (later increased to $150 million) – cost of repayment is $213 million (the repayment number remained the same)

Continue reading…

A new August 2010 newsletter is available for viewing. Click the link below to see a PDF version.

Caucus Newsletter August 27, 2010

Included in this edition:

• I-Jobs for Flood Recovery Myth
• $96 Million From Feds for Education Jobs
• Sheriffs Fight Shall Issue

• Iowa foreclosures hit new high: REGISTER
• Report says three Iowa coal ash sites polluting water: RADIO IOWA
• First meeting of Lake Delhi dam today: RADIO IOWA
• $84M Iowa flood grants are tops in US: REGISTER
• UI officials say stem cell ruling could cost $110,000 in research money: RADIO IOWA
• Debate ends; I-35 rest stop spots picked: REGISTER
• DNR investigating fish kill near Thornton: QC TIMES
• Swimming advisories posted at 8 Iowa park beaches: QC TIMES
• DNR warns of high nitrate in Iowa water district: QC TIMES
• Committee named to study telemedicine safety: REGISTER
• Election ’10: Conlin celebrates Women’s Equality Day with Davenport visit: QC TIMES
• Overtime costs decline at UI, ISU, UNI: GAZETTE
• More effective government is the answer: REGISTER
• Iowa reports first human West Nile case of 2010: GAZETTE
• Election ’10: Mrs. Grassley thinks Iowa woman in Congress inevitable (but not Conlin): GLOBEGAZETTE
• Iowa county looks at burial law: SC JOURNAL

• Governor says FEMA has denied public assistance for Lake Delhi: RADIO IOWA
• Court says buying pseudoephedrine not probable cause for search: RADIO IOWA
• Officials waited 2 weeks to tell public of egg danger: REGISTER
• Latham says egg recall is major economic blow to the state: RADIO IOWA
• Prairie Meadows votes to build hotel: REGISTER
• Personal toll of job loss detailed in state agency’s survey: REGISTER
• Election ’10: New ad targets Braley on mosque near ground zero: QC TIMES
• Election ’10: Former Iowa GOP leader to manage campaign against judges: QC TIMES
• Fix cracks in food safety system: QC TIMES
• Health insurance, yes; peace of mind, no: OBRADOVICH
• Atrazine ban would not ruin the Corn Belt: REGISTER
• Grassley: Nation faces ‘perilous times’: SC JOURNAL

• ELECTION ’10: Branstad says business can carry banner for Iowa: REGISTER
• Report says 2008 flood communities fared better than expected: RADIO IOWA
• Bill allowing FDA recalls is stuck: REGISTER
• USDA designates 20 counties disaster areas: RADIO IOWA
• Committeewoman’s comments on Obama are a distraction, say some Iowa Republicans: REGISTER
• DOT tries to answer string of I80 deaths: REGISTER
• State shuts down scheduled mixed martial arts bouts in Bloomfield: RADIO IOWA
• Grassley says new regulations should prevent problems caused by eggs: RADIO IOWA
• Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids becomes a university: RADIO IOWA
• 110 laid off as Ahrens closes in Iowa City: REGISTER
• Study: Iowa economy ‘absorbed’ 2008 floods, storms: QC TIMES
• PETA to Culver: ban eggs from school lunchrooms: REGISTER
• Iowa’s rabbit, squirrel season opens Sept. 4: QC TIMES
• Lake Delhi panel to hold first meeting: QC TIMES
• End this insidious myth mongering: REGISTER
• Iowans can get food assistance in disaster areas: QC TIMES
• ‘Seductive shortcut’ not answer to controlling health care costs: QC TIMES
• Class size average varies in Eastern Iowa schools: GAZETTE
• Attorneys General from Iowa, other states ask Craigslist to drop adult services: GAZETTE
• Farmers: Grain yields overrated: WCF COURIER
• Master Builders: Regents decision will cost Iowa jobs: GAZETTE
• County health fund grows to $1.7 million: SC JOURNAL